Sep 6, 2011

Why is Bentley Microstation the worst software on the planet?

It was the start of 3rd semester for me, and one of the seven (tiring) subjects was Computer Graphics (just a fancy name for Computer Aided Design). Although the theory wasn't much of an issue, it was the practical that was the most irritating part... The software being used is Bentley Microstation, after using which, I have started loving Photoshop, seriously!

In fact, I think this software is the worst one on the whole planet! Here's why:

Commands not possible:
My uncle being an architect, I've seen the use of quite a few CAD softwares, the most prominent being AutoCAD and 3D Max. The one thing common in all of them is that there is a command interface, which lets you find tools very easily. Sadly there is no such thing in Microstation. Even if there exists such a feature, I must say it is very poorly documented, as I have found no mention of the same in the manual!

It's a maze of icons:
When you open Microstation, you are greeted by zillions of icons, some of them appearing more than once! What's more, you clearly do NOT have any idea which one belongs to which category... Good luck with those...

Right click and no menu appears, scrolling:
Take a general software, a menu always appears when you right click on anything, you get a menu. In Bentley Microstation, none appears! Horrible! The first time I opened it, it was just a nightmare and even Googling didn't help (have a look below...)

It's a clicking-hazard:
To perform a certain task in Microstation, you require a series of clicks. Add to it the fact that there is no way of determining the process. And guess what, you deviate by a nanometer, and the task will not be performed!

Disconnect keyboard and throw it away:
This is again of the very, very rare softwares where there is absolutely no use of the keyboard! Being an extensive user of keyboard shortcuts whenever possible, I find it very irritating...

I still am not sure how to create a 3D seed file:
After 5 classes or so, I (for that matter almost everyone else) am still not sure how to create a 3D seed file... As a matter of fact, I am using one which I took from a senior...
P.S. And almost everyone else in my batch is also using the same seed file :P

No tutorials available in Google:
As weird as it may sound, Google has no answers to Microstation queries! I sincerely believed Google could answer everything. Alas! Not this. It took the better part of my time in the first class, just trying to figure out how to construct a line, yes, a puny line!

Bentley is better off making cars:
I have always admiredBentley cars, the Continental GT (middle one on the right) being my favourite. Bentley Motors has always made exotic cars, having a great look (and even greater price), but a CAD software is a strict no-no...
Seriously, you are better off making such beauties than something that give us nightmares!

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